Throughout the 1980s, the Soviet Union fought an increasingly frustrating
war in Afghanistan. At the same time, the Soviet economy faced the continuously
escalating costs of the arms race. Dissent at home grew while the stagnant
economy faltered under the combined burden. Attempted reforms at home
left the Soviet Union unwilling to rebuff challenges to its control in
Eastern Europe. During 1989 and 1990, the Berlin Wall came down, borders
opened, and free elections ousted Communist regimes everywhere in eastern
Europe. In late 1991 the Soviet Union itself dissolved into its component
republics. With stunning speed, the Iron Curtain was lifted and the Cold
War came to an end.